Money Fix: Some tips to save on auto insurance premiums

At this time of year, you may be reviewing your finances and looking for places where you might save money next year. There's good news on the car insurance front. According to Bankrate.com, which researched the top 10 car insurers, companies continue to add discounts.

What will earn you savings?

Ownership counts: New this year, Bankrate found that insurers are rewarding home or condo owners. Thirty percent of the top 10 insurers advertise that they do.

Take a class: It's worth your while to take a defensive driving class. Ninety percent of the insurers say they offer this discount, up from 80 percent last year. Classes are often offered by libraries and community organizations. AARP has a Smart Driver Course for those 50 and older. In many cases, AARP course graduates get a multiyear discount.

Go green: A hybrid or alternative-fuel car earns you Brownie points. This discount is growing in popularity, with four out of 10 insurers promoting it on their websites.

Sarah Lee Marks, of My Carlady in Henderson, Nevada, offers another tip. "Many companies are offering discounts based on a 90-day analysis of driving behavior collected from a computer chip" that reads information from your car's engine. "Allstate calls its program Drivewise," Marks says. "Other companies offer the discount to drivers upon request."

It helps to know, too, what's not as important to insurance companies. They aren't gaga over anti-lock brakes anymore. Fewer insurance companies are providing this discount -- only 50 percent, compared with 70 percent last year.